Nir's stepfather said of him, "He believed in his own way, lived with a boyfriend for years.
His goal was to help people who were struggling and who were still in
the closet. He considered it a mission."
Friends, relatives, deputy IDF chief of staff pay last respects to Nir Katz; 'we must
wave the pride flag and show what empty hatred can lead to,' his sister says.
.
Gay center shooting victims laid to rest
Tal Rabinovsky (ynetnews.com, 2/8/2009)
Nir Katz, one of the two people killed during Saturday night's shooting attack at a gay and lesbian youth center in Tel Aviv, was laid to rest in Modi'in on Sunday.
Katz, 26, who served as a counselor at the center for the past three years, lived with his partner of four years in Givatayim.
In her eulogy, Katz's sister Chen said, "Our family stands behind the gay community" and then laid a rainbow flag on the fresh grave.
"We must wave the pride flag and show what empty hatred can lead to," she said.
Relatives and friends, as well as representatives of various gay organizations and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Dan Harel all arrived at the cemetery to pay their last respects to Nir.
His mother Ayala said during the service, "Nir always had a smile on his face; and endless love for every living creature. He always had respect for himself, his life and those around him."
Another sister, Meirav, called Nir's death "unimaginable and irrational," while his aunt said, "he didn't have a mean bone in his body.
"You, the people of Israel, must uproot the seed of evil for us to have a better society," said the aunt.
Michal, a family friend, said Nir's death must not be in vain. "It is important that we remember you tried to help confused teens become better people - not like that vile murderer."
Nir's father, Rami, was killed in the first Tze'elim Disaster in 1990, in which five soldiers were killed by a shell during training, when Nir was only seven years old. His mother, Ayala remarried, raising Nir and his other five siblings.
Two years ago, Ayala wrote a special column to Ynet, communicating her personal grief over her first husband's death. Nir responded to the article at the time, posting a reply which read "Mom, I'm thinking of you, love you very much."
Liz Trubeshi, 16, the second victim, was also laid to rest Sunday at a cemetery in Holon. Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar joined hundreds of relatives and friends at the service.
"We love you very much. You were always our princess. I can’t say goodbye," Liz's brother Eitan said in his eulogy. "Mom woke me up last night (after hearing of the attack), but I told her everything was alright. I never told you how much I love you."
Minister Sa'ar said, "My daughter is Liz's age, and it hurts to think that a girl leaves her home and never returns."
Sa'ar, who lives near the youth center, added "it's hard to imagine that such evil can exist – to take the lives of people who have yet to taste it."
Ruti Pixler, the principal at Kiryat Sharet High School in Holon, which Trubeshi attended, said "I called her 'the angel'. There is no greater tragedy than parents burying their children.
"The bullets that took your life also hurt our souls. Lizi, you were a sweet girl with the face of a doll; a quiet, well-mannered girl. Most of all I'll remember your smile and eyes as blue as the sky and water," she said.
One of Liz's classmates described as being "very quiet in class," adding that she was a "withdrawn and introverted."
He said Liz never spoke of her sexual inclinations.
Gay center shooting victims laid to rest
Tal Rabinovsky (ynetnews.com, 2/8/2009)
Nir Katz, one of the two people killed during Saturday night's shooting attack at a gay and lesbian youth center in Tel Aviv, was laid to rest in Modi'in on Sunday.
Katz, 26, who served as a counselor at the center for the past three years, lived with his partner of four years in Givatayim.
In her eulogy, Katz's sister Chen said, "Our family stands behind the gay community" and then laid a rainbow flag on the fresh grave.
"We must wave the pride flag and show what empty hatred can lead to," she said.
Relatives and friends, as well as representatives of various gay organizations and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Dan Harel all arrived at the cemetery to pay their last respects to Nir.
His mother Ayala said during the service, "Nir always had a smile on his face; and endless love for every living creature. He always had respect for himself, his life and those around him."
Another sister, Meirav, called Nir's death "unimaginable and irrational," while his aunt said, "he didn't have a mean bone in his body.
"You, the people of Israel, must uproot the seed of evil for us to have a better society," said the aunt.
Michal, a family friend, said Nir's death must not be in vain. "It is important that we remember you tried to help confused teens become better people - not like that vile murderer."
Nir's father, Rami, was killed in the first Tze'elim Disaster in 1990, in which five soldiers were killed by a shell during training, when Nir was only seven years old. His mother, Ayala remarried, raising Nir and his other five siblings.
Two years ago, Ayala wrote a special column to Ynet, communicating her personal grief over her first husband's death. Nir responded to the article at the time, posting a reply which read "Mom, I'm thinking of you, love you very much."
Liz Trubeshi, 16, the second victim, was also laid to rest Sunday at a cemetery in Holon. Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar joined hundreds of relatives and friends at the service.
"We love you very much. You were always our princess. I can’t say goodbye," Liz's brother Eitan said in his eulogy. "Mom woke me up last night (after hearing of the attack), but I told her everything was alright. I never told you how much I love you."
Minister Sa'ar said, "My daughter is Liz's age, and it hurts to think that a girl leaves her home and never returns."
Sa'ar, who lives near the youth center, added "it's hard to imagine that such evil can exist – to take the lives of people who have yet to taste it."
Ruti Pixler, the principal at Kiryat Sharet High School in Holon, which Trubeshi attended, said "I called her 'the angel'. There is no greater tragedy than parents burying their children.
"The bullets that took your life also hurt our souls. Lizi, you were a sweet girl with the face of a doll; a quiet, well-mannered girl. Most of all I'll remember your smile and eyes as blue as the sky and water," she said.
One of Liz's classmates described as being "very quiet in class," adding that she was a "withdrawn and introverted."
He said Liz never spoke of her sexual inclinations.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου